The luck of the Tasmanian devils is in their genes

A CARNIVOROUS marsupial on the verge of being wiped out by a transmissible cancer could be saved – by the discovery of animals resistant to the disease.

Since 1996 Tasmanian devils have lost 90 per cent of some populations to the deadly and highly infectious devil facial tumour disease, which is spread by biting. But widespread pockets of Australia’s island state, such as the north-west and Bronte Park, remain unscathed. Biologists were unsure if this was luck – perhaps the disease hadn’t reached the areas yet – or resilience.